Collapsible safety lantern



g- 1950 v. L. GILL 2,517,197

COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY LANTERN Filed Jan. 8, 1946 M I Q I A I INVENTOR. FIG.VINCE/V7 L. GILL ATTORNEY patented Aug. '1, 1950 FICEI CULLAPS IBLESAFETY LANTERN Vincent L. Gill, San Diego, Calif.

Application January 8, 1946, Serial No. 639,748

2, Claims. (01. 240-36) My invention relates to lanterns, moreparticularly to a collapsible safety lantern to be used with trucks orthe like for giving notice to other vehicles on the roadway of theposition of the truck at night together with its load and the objects ofmy invention are;

First, to provide a lantern of this class that is collapsible andmay bereadily positioned in a small container which forms the base for thelantern when used on the roadway when the truck is standing;

Second, to provide a lantern of this class which utilizes a large candlefor providing the light;

Third, to provide a lantern of this classwhich is practically air-tighttherefore will not easily be blown out with the wind, rain or the like;

Fourth, to provide a lantern of this class which may be easily hung onthe load, truck or the like, and the handle for hanging the same iscollapsible with the remainder;

Fifth, to provide a lantern of this class which is collapsible to verysmall form so that it may be easily hauled when not in use;

Sixth, to provide a lantern of this class which is very simple andeconomical to manufacture, efficient, durable and which will not readilydeteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon which form a part of this application in whichiFigure 1 is a top or plan view of my safety lantern showing the basefragmentarily; Fig. 2 is a side elevational View thereof showingportions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration; Fig.3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; andFig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 4-4 of Fig.2.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The base consists of a rectangular box I which is hollow but providedwith a vertical partition Ia and with a horizontal partition I 1).Between the partion Ia and the side wall I is provided a space forreceiving the candle C. This box I is provided with a lid I 1 which fitsover the open end preferably by a sliding fit, as shown best in Fig. 4of the drawings. This box is provided with two spaced cleats Idpositioned on opposite sides of the upper sides of the box I, each of:Which is raised at its inner side to permit the flanges 2a to slidethereunder from one end. These flanges 2a are positioned at right anglesto and. are integral parts of the side members 2. Hinged to the sidemember 2 are other side members 3, there being two side members 2 andtwo side members 3 and all of these side members are provided withcolored reflecting glass 4 so that the light of an.

approaching vehicle will be reflected back. toward the vehicle even ifthe candle is not in operation.

The door members 2 and 3 are hinged together.-

in pairs and are provided at their other corners with interlocking hingeportions 5 and 6 in which pins are positioned with heads I, thusproviding for the removal of the pins 1, which leaves two hinge memberswith sides 2 and 3 which may be folded against each other by means ofthe hinge portions 5 and 6, as shown by dash lines in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. Mounted over the top of these side members is a cover member 8which is provided with upwardly and downwardly extending portions 8a and8b which are adapted to fit over the upper edges of the members 2 and 3,as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings, to form a tight fit when thedoor members 2 and 3 are hinged together as shown in the drawings.Through these flanges Ba and 8b on opposed sides are provided holes inwhich a spring handle 9 is positioned, then turned at right angles andprovided with a loop 9a for hanging the lantern in position without thebase I. Positioned inside the door members 2 and 3 there is provided arelatively square bottom member ID which is provided with a centralopening Na in which a large candleC is mounted at one end and extendsupwardly centrally as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Secured to thisbottom member I0 is a candle support II which extends downwardly andforms a support for the candle at its lower end. This bottom pan issupported on flanges 3a positioned at opposite sides on the door members3 and is therefore removable in collapsing the lantern.

1 The lantern is collapsed substantially as folows:

The handle 9 is sprung together slightly at the lower ends and istherefore readily removed from the holes in the flange portion 8a. Thepins with the heads I are then withdrawn, then the cover or top 8 isremoved and the members 2 and 3 hinged back against each other on thehinge portions, as shown by dash lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thenall of these members are, placed in the box I above the partition lbincluding the box bottom member ID through the open end of therectangular portion. The candle C is placed in the opening between thepartitions la and lo. Below the partition lb may be placed extra glass 4either clear or colored.

When in use, the lantern is hung on the handle 9 on the loaded truck orthe like without the base or may be stood in the position as shown onthe base on the ground surrounding the truck or on the truck *or'load.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to berlimited tothe particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire toinclude in thescope of my invention the construction, combination andarrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

11. In .:a safety lantern of the :class described, the ecombination of ahollow base member .provided with partitions .to vform compartmentsadapted tolreceive portions of :a collapsed lantern, acollapsiblelantern readily removably connected tosaid base member, said lanternincluding two pairs of hinged:doormemberssaid pairs hingedly connectedtogether by removable pins, said door members provided with coloredreflecting glass forming the main part of the door members, a removabletop for said lantern positioned over the edges .of said doors, aremovable candle support supported on the lower inner sides of saiddoors and a removable handle secured through openings in the upper edgesof a pair of said doors and said cover member for removably securingsaid cover in place.

2. In a safety lantern 0f the class described, the combination of a basemember, a lantern readily removably connected therewith, including twopairs of hinged door members, said pairs hingedly connected together byremovable pins, said door members provided with colored reflecting glassforming the main part of the door members, a removable top for saidlantern, positioned over the edges of said doors, a removable candlesupport, supported on the lower inner sides of said doors, and aremovable handle secured through openings in the upper edges of a pairof said doors and said cover for removably securing said cover in place.

VINCENT L. GILL.

REFERENEES JCITED The following references are 'of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,041,195 Thomas Oct. 15, 19121,298,116 Stonebridge Mar. 25, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date5,444 England of 1900 17,081 England of 1888

